Agricultural Press

Abstract

An agricultural press has material receiver for picking up a swath of crop material from the ground and delivering it to the press chamber. A material hold-down device extends over the material receiver and is mounted for vertical movement relative to the material receiver. During normal operation the hold-down device moves over a first range of movement in response to changing swath thicknesses. If a material jam should nevertheless arise, the material hold-down device can be moved in total or in part, either mechanically or manually, over an second range of movement in addition to the first range of movement in order to be able to liberate the wedged material.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001]The invention relates to an agricultural press comprising a material receiver and a material hold-down device, provided above the said material receiver and mounted for vertical movement relative thereto, within a first range of movement, in response to varying thickness of the material mat for controlling the supplied material quantity.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,797 discloses a round baler comprising two material hold-down devices having resilient tines, of which one downstream-situated tine is held by means of gas accumulators against rapid movements. Both material hold-down devices can move under the pressure of the material until they can no longer move any further. Once this state has arisen, any further supply of material will result in a material jam. This behavior manifests itself equally in respect of all comparable material hold-down devices.[0003]The problem on which the invention is founded can be seen in the fact t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]Whilst a material hold-down device can be configured so as to move through the first and second ranges in its entirety, it is sufficient for a part of it, for example a material-guiding device, to be moveable relative to a remainder of the hold-down device through the second range of movement. A multi-part structure can easily be achieved if a support is provided, which can consist of individual arms, transverse struts, a frame or the like. The feed-in of the material into the region between the material receiver and the material-guiding device is facilitated if a press-down device is provided, which the gathered material first hits and which forces the latter onto the material receiver. On the support there are provided the necessary bearings which enable the vertical movements.

[0008]Swaths which vary in thickness can be easily transported, within the normal operation of the hold-down device, if the support, is floatingly mounted for permitting movement within the first range of movement. For the movement over the additional second range of movement, either the support or the material-guiding device can be selectively raised. The floating movement is realized, preferably at least, counter to the resistance of the weight of the material hold-down device or of a spring, possibly even shock absorbers or vibration dampers being able to be used, which prevent uncontrolled movements.

[0009]A material-guiding device, which is configured, for example, as a metal plate, a rake or as a plurality of rollers, is capable of bridging a certain distance and thus of preventing an uncontrolled accumulation of material. The design can be chosen according to the material type, rollers, in particular, ensuring a low frictional resistance.

[0010]At high receiver speeds, in particular, it is useful to even minimize the friction resulting from a rotating press-down device, since otherwise the material piles up in front of the press-down device. Such a press-down device can even be rotary driven and / or can have axially conveying worm portions.

Problems solved by technology

Yet the movement within the additional second range of movement cannot take place of its own accord, which might, in fact, produce an even greater jam, but rather a deliberate release is required, which can, however, be realized according to choice, for example, manually, by motorized means, by remote control, etc.

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